Credit: This story was first seen on the East Anglican Daily Times
A police investigation has been launched after reports of two people allegedly dealing drugs to students at a leading west Suffolk private school, the East Anglican Daily Times reports.
Officers are acting on information that cannabis was sold to pupils at Culford School, near Bury St Edmunds, by two people who are not students at the independent school.
Reports in national media claimed several sixth formers from the mixed sex school had been suspended following a “serious breach” of school rules, which included a cannabis supply ring being operated through Whatsapp.
The Daily Mail claimed that students at the school, where fees can reach £29,895-a-year, were buying cannabis and selling it at double the price to younger children.
But Julian Johnson-Munday, head of the school, said those reports were wide of the mark and that pupils had been suspended for smoking the class C drug.
Mr Johnson-Munday said: “A small number of pupils were involved in a serious breach of school rules, having smoked cannabis. Those pupils were immediately suspended from school. Discussions with their parents continue and further comment would, therefore, be inappropriate.
“However, the Daily Mail choose to publish an inaccurate article, pupils were not dealing cannabis, but had purchased it outside school, and the matter was immediately reported to the police, who were entirely supportive. I always write to all parents about serious breaches of discipline, because of our determination to win the trust of those who allow us the privilege of educating their children.
“I have received much backing from them, as they have appreciated our firm standards and our honesty.”
A spokeswoman for Suffolk Police said: “Police have been made aware that two people, who are not pupils at the school, had allegedly been dealing cannabis to students. Officers are investigating the circumstances around this information and are working with the school to educate its pupils around the dangers of drug use.”
Culford School, an independent boarding and day school for pupils aged three to 18, currently has 700 pupils and is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.